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Rating: 
Summary: Great cats; okay story
Review: Having read the first 15 or so "Cat Who" books a couple of years ago, I recently picked up this (the 23rd) to catch up with Qwill and his feline friends (and the other residents of Moose County and The City of Pickax. The cats are in great form. Unfortunately, the writing is not.
I had stopped reading this series for a while as the plots were becoming stale. In this installment, the cats play all too minor a role. They pop in occasionally to provide a clue, or to provide humor, atmosphere, etc. What they do not do is solve the crime, provide important clues that are followed up by Qwill (or the police), or do anything else that is directly related to the plot. They are relegated to the role of a "Greek Chorus"--providing commentary to the audience, without being part of the drama itself.
As to the plot--there is no mystery here. The person everyone thought did it, did it. The person everyone thought was a suspicious character, turns out top be a bad guy. The woman everyone thought was a fake, was a fake. No one needed Koko to tell the good guys from the bad guys.
Finally, the cat never does rob the bank...I kept expecting Koko to get into the bank and uncover the key clue--but it never happened.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Old Koko
Review: I agree with some of the previous comments - there are really no surprises in Moose County, but knowing what you're going to read has a certain charm all its own. I still enjoy this series, and the characters are still pretty wonderful. Yes, this mystery was pretty straightforward, and you know who did it and why. I think I would have liked a little more exposure to the murderer's character - he seemed to be a shadowy figure at best in this one. But Koko still delights, and Polly and Qwill are still wonderful. For all cat fanciers, this series is a must!
Rating: 
Summary: OK book, but no plot.
Review: I got this book expecting an interesting mystery. This is definitely not what I got --
A murder is committed around page 50, after that, the main character, Qwilleran, keeps living his life like nothing happened until, around page 200 he finds out who the murderer is and keeps living his life. Practically no plot, no investigation, no nothing...
Even so, the book is an interesting (and fast - 3 hours at most) read. If you like cats, read The Cat Who... books, if you want real mystery, stick to Agatha Christie.
Rating: 
Summary: Qwill is back, and so is Braun!
Review: I LOVE Qwilleran and the cats! And this time Braun is back in her earlier, feisty form. There's lots of fun here. We're right back in Pickax City in the midst of some odd festivities -- are there any other kind in Braun's world? This story has seasonal interest and quirky characters, and it reveals some surprises -- both in the mystery at hand and in Qwill's personal life. Koko, of course, is brilliant, as usual. Nicely done, Lilian!
Rating:
Summary: How The Cat Who Series Seems
Review: Ive been reading the cat who books for a couple of months and if you like cats and mystery then this is really good for you.They are so hard to put down.
Rating:
Summary: Could not possibly be written by Ms. Braun
Review: Most of my enjoyment of this delightful series has come from the literary skills of Lillian Jackson Braun. Her nuances of humor, her turn of a phrase, strong character development, and the life threads that run through the series cause me to always come back for more.This book is clearly NOT written in the same style. It is inoffensive, very light, but tends to the cloying, tea-table mystery style. Not my favorite, and I hesitate to buy any more "stories" from this "series."
Rating:
Summary: Not what I was expecting. . .
Review: The Cat Who Robbed a Bank was not a bad book, it just wasn't a great book. I have to say it was an improvement on The Cat Who Saw Stars, the prevous book; where as that book had no mystery, this had one, as small and predictable as it was. After reading Braun's lastest books, I must agree with those who suspect that someone other than Braun is writing them. The books have always had a certain feel to them, a way everything fit together, but the past two or three have odd aftertaste, so to speak, to the the devoted reader. It just isn't Braun's style. The plot was weak and seemed almost forced. To those who are thinking about starting to read this series, do not start with this book! It isn't that first-timers wouldn't "get" it, The Cat Who Robbed a Bank explains everythig a little too much, but because this book doesn't do the series justice. I recommend starting at the begining, with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, or some of the other good ones are The Cat Who Saw Red, The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts, The Cat Who Lived High, and The Cat Who Wasn't There. Even though this book was not what I expected, I am still a devoted fan who eagarly awaits the hopefully-better next book.
Rating:
Summary: for Moose County fans, 3-4 for anyone else
Review: The story opens in late summer, Jim Qwilleran, wealthy newspaper columnist is, like the rest of Moose County (located 400 miles north of everywhere) looking forward to the opening of the new hotel. He finds that in addition to the grand opening, the hotel is to be graced by a visit from Mr. Delacamp, a jeweler from the big city who travels to Moose County every few years to do business. Qwill is intrigued by this strange custom and resorts to undercover work to satisfy his curiousity about the expensive cash only, women customers only business. When a murder occurs he becomes more so. As always Koko, his Siamese cat helps Qwill to pick his way through the tangle of old and new county scandals and county ties to reach the answers. For fans of this long running series there are plenty of Moose County updates and 'information to be shared' as well of glimpses of day to day small town life. 'Cozy' fans would probably enjoy this as well even if not familiar with the series but anyone looking for a more hard-boiled or challenging story should look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: for Moose County fans, 3-4 for anyone else
Review: The story opens in late summer, Jim Qwilleran, wealthy newspaper columnist is, like the rest of Moose County (located 400 miles north of everywhere) looking forward to the opening of the new hotel. He finds that in addition to the grand opening, the hotel is to be graced by a visit from Mr. Delacamp, a jeweler from the big city who travels to Moose County every few years to do business. Qwill is intrigued by this strange custom and resorts to undercover work to satisfy his curiousity about the expensive cash only, women customers only business. When a murder occurs he becomes more so. As always Koko, his Siamese cat helps Qwill to pick his way through the tangle of old and new county scandals and county ties to reach the answers. For fans of this long running series there are plenty of Moose County updates and 'information to be shared' as well of glimpses of day to day small town life. 'Cozy' fans would probably enjoy this as well even if not familiar with the series but anyone looking for a more hard-boiled or challenging story should look elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book For a First Timmer
Review: This is the first book in the series that I have picked up, yet I still feel as though I have read the hole series. The Cats are wonderful, the Charicters are beleaveable, and the plot is great. It is a Purrfect Book for a first timmer to "The Cat Who" series.
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